Positive Attitude

Are you constantly bombarded by thoughts of negativity? Plagued by feelings of insecurity? Do you see everything in a negative manner? The reason for this lies deep within your heart. You are what you mentally and spiritually eat. If a person drinks alchohol on a daily basis, odds are their body will be affected in some way. They may have liver issues, develop cancer or incur some other type of health problem directly related to the amount of alcohol they have consumed. In the same way, a person who constantly feeds themselves negative thoughts will simply turn into a negative person. 

This is the time to go on a diet. A diet of positive attitude food. You have to literally stop feeding your mind negative things. Ask yourself is this thought negative or positive or negative? What do negative thoughts look like? Well, they start with can't rather than can, no as opposed to yes, will and not won't. The Bible which is the greatest self help book ever written, speaks about taking every thought captive. The problem in our society has become that our thoughts have taken us captive. We have begun to let our thoughts control us.

A great way to know what we are negative about is to ask those people who are closest to us. You can ask your spouse or another person in your life who really knows you how they would rate your attitude on a scale of 1 to 10. 10 being super positive and 1 super negative. Ask this person to be totally honest with you. You will benefit from their honesty even if it causes you pain. Ask this person what it is that you specifically say that they perceive as negative. Write down what they say and look at the actual words. Now is the time to be honest with yourself. Those words are a reflection of what is inside you. They are who you are. The great thing is that you can change. It is as simple as making a choice to do so. You must decide to replace the thoughts of negativity with thoughts of positivity. Decide what words you will change the negative words on your paper to. Once you have done this, make an effort to insert these new positive thoughts in your mind. You will begin to notice a positive change taking place in your life. Your family, friends and co-workers will all notice it as well. They may not know what is different about you. But they will know that you are not the same person that you were.

The items which are causing negativity in your life could very well be the news, movies, constantly replaying tragedy in your mind and the list could go on. These things should be eliminated if you want your new mental health regimen to be a success. The news is very negative and does not help someone who is trying to rid their mind of such thoughts. When you are feeding yourself thoughts of death from a war or gunshot or car accident visually the outcome will be negative. I do believe there is a time to grieve over the death of a loved one. However, if a person constantly replays this negative event in their minds it can lead to depression. The person who has passed away is not coming back and we must close that chapter in our lives and move on to the next chapter. This is a difficult task which can only be done by making a decision to proceed with our own life, no matter how hard this may be. 

You can do it. You can and will have a positive attitude, if you simply take the steps outlined above. You do not have to be what you were in the past. You can be different in the future. The choice is yours. I know you will make a positive one.

Avoiding the Scam

In the issue of repairing your credit, it is best to do it yourself. Most often, you may hear or see advertisements claiming outstanding credit repair services offering you “legal” and “guaranteed” solutions for your credit problems. These services may use mottos that are quite enticing to those who are in dire need of credit repair. There are even others who get easily convinced after reading “authentic” testimonials from several customers, who might not actually exist.

When you are really in need of credit repair, the first thing you want to do is to act immediately. You should remember that this action should be done by you and not anyone else. Luckily, there are several factors that can help you avoid scam credit repair services.

The Fraudulence

Day after day, several companies appeal to consumers who have awful credit histories. Often, they promise to tidy up credit reports, for a price, to help consumers loan a car, mortgage a home, or even get a job. The horrible fact is they cannot deliver; you should keep this in mind especially if you do not want to worsen your debt. These companies would only take the cost of the services with them and vanish into thin air.

The Signs of a Scam

If you had responded to a credit repair service, there are warning signs that can help you determine an authentic credit repair offer from a fraud. Firstly, be aware of companies that wish for you to pay the cost of the repair before providing any services. In addition, avoid those companies that do not divulge any possible legal rights you are entitled to and what processes you can do yourself without payment.

There are companies that advise consumers to directly contact a credit reporting agency - you should avoid such companies. More so, if the company you have responded to suggests that you to create a new credit identity and then make a new credit report by applying for an Employer Identification Number to use rather than you SSN, you should immediately stop contacting that company.

Lastly, those that advise you to argue all information included within your credit report or take actions that may seem illegal, i.e. generating a new credit identity, should be avoided. Remember that you could be prosecuted for wire or mail fraud if you use the telephone or mail to apply for credit and give information that are not authentic. Lying on a credit application, misinterpreting your SSN and acquiring an Employer Identification Number from the IRS under false pretenses are all federal crimes.

Most importantly, you should remember that included within the Credit Repair Organization Act is the rule that credit repair companies should not require you to pay until the services they have promised are complete.

The best possible way to avoid poor credit history, and totally keep you safe from fraudulent credit repair services, is to do a periodic credit report review. Reviewing your credit report is important because the information in your report affects your chances of getting an insurance or loan. Make sure that the information is correct, complete and regularly updated before applying for a loan. Lastly, by doing periodic check-up on your credit report, you can be safe from identity theft, which can create a major problem not only in your credit report.

AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION (God, Faith and Science. Think about it)

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks one of his new students to stand and..... 

Prof: So you believe in God? 

Student: Absolutely, sir. 

Prof: Is God good? 

Student: Sure. 

Prof: Is God all-powerful? 

Student: Yes. 

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm? 

(Student is silent.) 

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fellow. Is God good? 

Student: Yes. 

Prof: Is Satan good? 

Student: No. 

Prof: Where does Satan come from? 

Student: From...God... 

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world? 

Student: Yes. 

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct? 

Student: Yes. 

Prof: So who created evil? 

Student does not answer. 

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they? 

Student: Yes, sir. 

Prof: So, who created them? 

Student has no answer. 

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God? 

Student: No, sir. 

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God? 

Student: No, sir. 

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter? 

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't. 

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him? 

Student: Yes. 

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son? 

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith. 

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has. 

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat? 

Prof: Yes. 

Student: And is there such a thing as cold? 

Prof: Yes. 

Student: No sir. There isn't. 

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.) 

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it. 

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.) 

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness? 

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness? 

Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you? 

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man? 

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed. 

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how? 

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey? 

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do. 

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir? (The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.) 

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.) 

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain? 

(The class breaks out into laughter.) 

Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir? 

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.) 

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son. 

Student: That is it sir... The link between man & God is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive. 

****************

WANT TO KNOW WHO THAT STUDENT WAS? 

NB: This is a true story, and the student was none other than.........

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former president of India. 

Is Technology Isolating Us From Friends and Family

Psychologists have done studies on the effects of internet chats on people. The number of cases going to doctors are increasing day by day. People who are shy and reticent in the real world, log on chats to vent out their frustration. They assume pseudo identities and assume a new life, sitting hours at a stretch. These cases have been causes of many marital problems and divorces. Rejection by cyber friends has also been a big reason of depression cases. It only serves to increase loneliness which has been proved. 

Even internet surfing, to some has become an addiction. Hours and hours are spent online with no care of the real world. Similarly with online games. People suddenly become recluse. They ignore their home and family. Hanging out is no longer for them. This phenomenon is real in many places. Loneliness creates frustration with the outside world. A gregarious attitude is lost. Everything is a product of new and latest innovations of technology companies. And they are only researching and testing for more of these gadgets.

Gone is the time of 70's and 80's when saturday nights were nights with friends, hanging out. Nowadays you also hear about online meetings with friends using instant messengers. SMS has reduced the need of speaking on the phone. People are no longer as outgoing and socialable as they were before. Even movies and concerts can be downloaded home on demand preventing the need to go out. In fact, you can even work from home and not even go to office. Everything you need to shop, can be ordered online or on the telephone.

Talking of education, even graduate degrees can be obtained sitting at home. There is no need to attend lectures and classes in universities. There's no need to stay in a college dormitory with new friends. Our old favourite TV started the couch potato idea. Studies showed people all over US were becoming obese and lethargic. Children instead of playing football outdoors were watching inane programs for long hours. All this only promotes loneliness.

Some years back, there was this man who named himself dotcomguy. He stayed inside a room for an entire month with just a computer and a net connection. Everything he needed or wanted to do could be done or bought with the help of the net. Publicity and encouragement were given to him as if he were doing a great job. Maybe he demonstrated the power of the computer- nothing more.

Man is a social animal-a cliche and a truth. He always needed company of others for happiness. Marriage is a symbol of the same- the need for a companion. Current technological progress is only undermining the same. Its creating hermits everywhere. There may be a day, when no one needs to come out of home. Now, even marriages are webcast, so that relatives can bless the couple online without needing to come over. What more can they think of?

Money and Mind

It is hard to make money. It some countries, it is not unusual for people to have second, third, and even fourth jobs.  Everywhere we go, we can see that the average paycheck just cannot meet the rise in inflation.  It does not matter if your a man or a woman, single or married --- one thing is for sure – you've got bills to pay. Every month, almost everybody needs to set aside some cash to settle the electricity and water bills, apartment rental, car loan, student loan, cable t.v. bills, telephone bills, school tuition for the kids, the daily parking ticket, groceries, and the list goes on. 

No wonder, most are are trying to find new ways of making money.  Not just to pay the bills, but so that they can have more money to buy things.  Most people think that they are not making enough money to support their family.  So after eight or nine hours at the office, they immediately rush to the next job or to a part-time business so that they can make ends meet, and hopefully, earn a few dollars more.

There are also people who still believe and run after the American Dream:  a nice home in the suburbs... having two to three children that study in good private schools... a lasting marriage... a wife who does not need to work (but can work if the kids gets older)... a family station wagon for the weekends, and a dog.  In their pursuit of the dream, the constant struggle they face is still about making enough money.

Then again, there are individuals who work hard and earn money not just for their own pleasure and satisfaction, but also to compete with their neighbors.  “Keeping up with the Joneses”  --- has become their motto, motivation, and fear, all at the same time.   They are always anxious about looking the part, or about fitting in, and of course, in being welcomed within a group that is considered well-off, elite, or privileged.  Perhaps more that their desire to have money, they are driven by their need for a high social status.

Status anxiety is the emotional disturbance felt by people who desire to “climb the social ladder” and an exaggerated fear or focus on how they are perceived by others. Status anxiety is the feeling of discontent or insecurity of a person in terms of his or her economic standing or place in the social pecking order. 

Climbing up the social ladder can be hard, especially if one cannot climb at all. It is impossible to reach a certain “higher” status without having faults, problems, and what we call “bumps along the roads”. In dealing with status anxiety, it somehow gives an idea of people to “climb” the social ladder and experience the anxieties that come from a focus on how one is perceived by others.

A lot of factors can cause a person to have status anxiety. High expectations, snobbery, lack of self-esteem, and materialism can lead to status anxiety.  The ever-increasing demands from the family... having a feeling of always being the “outsider” in an exclusive group... and being looked down upon by others who see themselves as social and economic superiors --- these can trigger status anxiety. Being overly dependent on the approval of others is also a cause of anxiety.  The lack of self-esteem makes a person depend on others in order to have a sense of approval, worth, and accomplishment. 

Coping with anxiety takes having an intimate knowledge of one's strengths and weaknesses. It is important to know one's limits in terms of finances and social standing.   Coping with anxiety is all about believing in the value of one's self and the value of others around you --- and how every one needs another person to live a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life.

Tips: Repair a Scratched CD or DVD with Household Items

If you’re having problems getting a CD to work in your computer because it’s scratched, there are some easy solutions. First, try cleaning the CD with a little dish detergent. Use your finger to gently rub the detergent on the CD and coat it real good. Don’t use a cloth, it can make more scratches and defeat your purpose. Rinse it off well with water and try the CD in the drive again. 

If you are still getting read errors due to the scratches, then it’s time for the unlikely solution: toothpaste. Yep, you read it right. Put a little toothpaste on a Q-tip and polish the scratched area until they disappear or until they can’t get any smoother. Then wash the CD in water. That should hopefully fix it. If not, just retry polishing with toothpaste. If a few cleanings do not solve the problem, then try a metal polish such as Brasso in the same manner as the toothpaste. There is also a solution that involves gently rubbing Vaseline on the CD from the center outward. But I’m of the opinion if it goes that far and the CD still can’t be read, then it’s time to trash it.

Something else to consider: If your CD drive has trouble reading CD’s or DVD’s that aren’t scratched, then you need to clean the drive’s laser lens. You’ll need a CD/DVD-Player Laser-Lens Cleaner for that. They can be purchased at any computer store and even Wal-Mart.

Online Scams: How To Avoid Getting Fooled

Learn how to avoid the three most popular scams you will run into online without damaging the thrill of surfing the internet.

Beware of the three ways of getting fooled into giving up your money through seemingly innocent money-making schemes. Scams are all around us and it can be found in every single area of life, but more so in such areas where the risk is greater such as when dealing with credit cards, bank accounts and other activities which involve sending or receiving money online.

The Bank/Credit Card Email Scam:

If you get an email asking you to sign up to your bank account or credit card through the email because your privacy is under danger or just to receive a free gift or something: BEWARE! Do not sign up through the internet address provided in the email. If the email does make you anxious, go to the bank or credit card site using the address you know already or through searching the search engines. 

How Does This Scam Work? 

The senders of the email know that only a very few will sign up but that is all they need. When you signed up to the bogus internet address, they got your user and password. Now its time for them to party!

The Missing Millionaire Scam:

If you receive an email saying that they represent a dead or missing former ruler, high-ranking official or businessman from an African, Gulf or even Russian: BEWARE! They offer you a chance to earn anything between one to five percent of ten to fifty million. And for your co-operation only. Don't get sucked into this, for though they speak of giving you money, they will receive cash and from your account. 

How Does This Scam Work? 

They will ask you for your bank details in order to transfer the cash and then they will use that to transfer a small amount. Now, once you trust them, they will ask you for more personal and secure details because they "need" that to transfer the entire sum in and out of your account. What they won't tell you is that they will transfer all the money out from your account: theirs and yours.

The Make Money Fast Scam:

This is the most innocent of the lot, but that is also why it is the most dangerous. These are so-called companies that advertise that if you only sign up and use their system, you will mint money. Please do not fall for such schemes. They will pay you some money but then once trust is built, they will fleece your bank account. Remember that quick money scams are the surest and fastest way to lose all your money!

Conclusion:

Whatever you do online, always remember that the internet is not a safe place. Treat it like you would treat any other business venture and bring up your guard. If you play it safe and check out the companies before committing, you will be able to guard yourself against losing money to crooks.